Automatic train-line connecter



1927. S J. ROBINSON AUTOMATIC TRAIN LINE CONNECTER Filed Oct. 12, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q 1,642,748 Septf 9 1927' J. ROBINSON AUTOMATIC TRAIN LINE CONNECTER Filed Oct. 12, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 20, 1927.

; v UNITED STATES 1,642,748 PATENT oFFi cE.

I JOSEPH ROBINSON, or MORRISTOWN, NEW JERSEY.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN-LINE CONNECTER.

Application filed October 12, 1921. Serial No. 507,169.

My invention relates to automatic train pipe connectors andparticularly to an improved arrangement for supporting the coupler head of the connecten- It is the object of the invention to provide an improved construction ofuniversal joint for yieldingly maintaining the coupler head in coupling posit-ionin front of the bracket and which includes yielding means mounted on the bracket itself for preventing clownward movement of the coupler head when the same is not connected to amating head. A furtherv object is to provide-a universal joint in which the coupler head when connected to a mating head will be free to move in all directions and in which the parts of the joint will offer such movements. A still further object is to provide an arrangement of this kind which is simple and compact in construction and one Which contains a minimum number of parts liable to get out of order or be broken. 1 g

My invention in one specific form is set forth in detail in the followingspecification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof. In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of my improved connecter;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal view partly in section taken on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the lower part of my improved device; 1

Fig. 1 is a transverse section on the line 4 -4; of Figure 3; v

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on the line 55 of Figure 1.

Referring to the draw-ings in detail 10 represents a bracket which is secured to the usual lug 11 of a car coupler by any suitable means as bolts 12. The bracket 10 is preferably U-shape in cross section and at its lower end this bracket is provided with spaced arms 10, each of which arms is provided with an open ended slot 10 which slots extend rear'wardly from, the front edge of the arms 10 and which formbearings for a pivot block 13, this pivot block having journals at each end which are rotatably mounted in the slots 10. The pivot block 13 is provided on, its front face with a ver ztically arranged curved seat 14 which 1s adapted to receive a curved bearingportion 15 formed on a spring seat 16 which is positioned in'front' ofsaid pivot block 13 and little or no resistance to Which has a pivotal motion in a'horizontal plane relative to the block 13. The spring seat 16 and the pivot block 13 are each provided with an opening through which a head supporting member 17 extends. On the front endof the member 17 the'usual coupling head 18 is mounted, this head preferably being of the type provided with guiding prongs 19. A coiled spring 20 surrounds the member 17 and bears against the spring seat 16 and against the head 18 or against a suitable conduit 18 'connected to the head. The supporting member 17 is preferably rectangular in cross section, and the opening in the spring seat 16 through which this member passes, is preferably shaped to closely fit such rectangular member while the opening in the pivot block 13 is elongated in the horizontal plane so that the member 17 may move relative to the pivot block 13 as the spring seat 16 pivots upon its seat 14. On its rear end the member 17 carries a Web or spider 22 which engages the rectangular end of said member and which is held in position by means are nut 23. The spider '22 is provided with arms 24 which are adapted to contact with the rear side of the bracket 10, such arms being held in contact with the bracket by the spring 20 when the'head 19 isfree, that is, not connected to a mating head. At its rear end the member 17 also carries a projection 25 which preferably forms part of the spider 22 heretofore referred to, and the upper end of said projection is inclined as at 25 for a purpose hereinafter pointed out.

At its lower end the bracket 10 is provided with an enlarged portion or boss 26 within which there is formed a chamber 27. A plunger 28 is s'lidably mounted in the chamber 27 and a coiled spring 29 is also arranged in said chamber and positioned to bear against the plunger 28, the spring being held in position in the chamber and under compression by means of the plug 30 threaded into the end of the boss 26. The plunger 28 is arranged to project beyond the lower end of the boss or enlarged portion 26 of the bracket and is so positioned as to contact with the inclined face 25 of the projection 25 when the member 17 and the Spider '22 are drawn forward by the action of the springQ'O. Y

' From the foregoing it will be apparent that when the head 18 is free the "spring '20 will draw the member 17 forwardly until the projection 25 lies under the plunger 28 \Vhen the parts are in this position the head 18 is free to be raised and the yielding plunger 28 will offer comparatively little resistance against downward movement of the same. Sidewise movement of the head will, of course be permitted by pivotal movement of the member 17 and the seat 16 relative to the block 13 and by the yielding action of the spring 20 surrounding the member 17. Thus it will be seen that thisconstruction provides an arrangement which permits comparatively free movement of the head in all directions so that mating heads may easily be brought into coupling alignment even Where they are out of alignment due to curvature or unevenness of the track. IVhen the'head 18 is coupled up with a mat ng head, it will be understood that the sprmg 20 is compressed and that the spider 2:2 and the'projection 25 are moved rearwardly out of contact respectively with the bracket 10 and the plunger 28, thus leaving the head substantiallyfree to move universally unrestricted by either the spring 20 or the yieldingly mounted plunger 28.

Various modifications may, of course, be made in the foregoing construction, and it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise details heretofore described. Having, thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an automatic train pipe connecter, a bracket, a member pivotally mounted thereon, a coupling head connected to said member, a coiled spring mounted on said brack et and arranged to exert pressure against .a part of said member whereby the same is normally held in a substantially horizontal position when said head is free, said part being movable out of position to receive the pressure of said spring when said head is coupled to a mating head.

2. In an automatic train pipe connecter, a bracket, a member pivotally mounted thereon, a coupling head connected to said member, a coiled spring mounted on said bracket at one side of said member and arranged to exert pressure against a part of said member whereby the same is normally held in a substantially horizontal position when said head is free, said part being movable out of position to receive the pressure of said spring when said head is coupled to a mating head.

3. In an automatictrain pipe connecter, a bracket, a memberpivotally mounted there on, a coupling head secured to said member, means carried by said bracketfor receiving and supporting a coiled spring, a coiled spring carried by said supporting means and arranged to exert pressure against a partpf said member for normally holding the same in a substantially horizontal posit-ion when said bracket, whereby said member and head are normally held in a horizontal position when said head is free, said part being movable out of position to receive the pressure of said spring when said'head is coupled to a mating. head. 1

5. In an automatic train pipe connecter, abracket provided'with a chamber, a member pivotally mounted on said bracket, a coupling head connected to said member and a coiled spring mounted in said chamber and arranged to press against said member for normally holding the same 1n a substantially horizontal position.

6. In an automatic train pipe connecter, a bracket provided with a chamber,a member pivotally mounted on sand bracket, a coupling head connected to said member in front of said bracket, and a. coiled spring mounted in said chamber and arranged to press against said member at the rear of. its pivotal connection with said bracket.

7 In an automatic train pipe connecter, a bracket having yieldable means. mounted thereon, a head-supporting member pivotally and slidably connected to said bracket and provided with a portion adapted to move into and out of contact with said yieldable means, anda coupling head connected to said member.

8. In an automatic train pipe connecter, a

bracket having a yieldable device mounted thereon, a member pivotally and .slidably mounted on said'bracket, a coupling head connected to said member, said member having a portion movable into contact with the bracket when said head is free and movable rearwardly out of contact therewith when said head is coupled to a mating head, and means carried by said member for contacting with said yieldable device when said portion of said member is moved into con- .tact with the bracket.

9. In an automatic train pipe connecter, a bracket having a yieldable device mounted thereon, a head-supporting member pivotally and slidably supported on said bracket, a coupling head connected to said member, means mounted on saidmember and adapted to contact with the rear side of said bracket and with said yieldable device when said member is moved forwardly, said means be. ing movable out of Contact with said bracket and said yieldable device when said member is moved rearwardly by the coupling of said head to a mating head, and yieldable means for urging said member forwardly.

10. In an automatic train pipe connecter, a bracket having a chamber, a plunger slidably mounted thereon, a coiled spring arranged in said chamber and adapted to bear against said plunger, a' head-supporting member carried by said bracket, :1 coupling head connected to said member, and means on said member for contacting with said plunger whereby said member is yieldingly held in a substantially horizontal position. 11. In an automatic train pipe connecter, a bracket, a member pivotally and slidably mounted thereon, a head connected to said member in front of its pivotal connection with the bracket, a yieldable device carried wholly by said bracket and arranged to exert downward pressure upon said member at a point in the rear of its pivotal connection with the bracket, whereby said head is maintained in position in front of said bracket, said member being movable into and out of contact with said yieldable device.

12. In an automatic train pipe connecter, a bracket having a chamber, a plunger mounted therein, a coiled spring in said chamber and bearing against said plunger, a member pivotally connected to said bracket, a coupling head supported by said member, a projection on said member at the rear of its pivotal connection with said bracket, and a coiled spring surrounding said member and normally holding said projection against said plunger.

13. In an automatic train pipe connecter, a bracket, a member pivotally mounted on said bracket and having a coupling head connected thereto, a plunger yieldingly supported on said bracket independently of said member, said plunger being positioned to bear against said member and yieldingly hold the same in a substantially horizontal position when said coupling head is free.

14. In an automatic train pipe connecter, a bracket having a chamber formed therein, a coiled spring in said chamber, a plunger against which said spring is adapted to bear, a pivot bar pivotally mounted on said bracket, a head supporting member mounted in said bracket and slidably engaging said pivot bar, a head secured to said member on one side of said pivot bar, projections carried by said member on the other side of the pivot bar for contacting with the rear side of the bracket, a spring surrounding said member and normally holding said projection against the rear side of the bracket,

and means on said member for engaging said plunger.

15. In an automatic tram pipe connecter,

a coupling head, a bracket, a member conly of the bracket and pivotally supported thereon, a yielding abutment on the rear portion of said bracket above said member, said abutment extending rearwardly beyond. the portion of the bracket below the same, a lug carried by said member and adapted to be drawn under said abutment, and means for yieldingly drawing said lug against said abutment when said head is in its normal uncoupled position. I

17 In an automatic train pipe connecter, a bracket, a coupling head, a member connected to said head and pivotally supported on said bracket, said member being movable longitudinallyrelative to said bracket, 21 yieldable device carried by said bracket, said member having a part thereon adapted to move into and out of engagement with said device as said member is moved longitudinally relative to'the bracket.

18. In an automatic train pipe connecter, a bracket, a coupling head, a member connected to said head and pivotally and slidably supported on said bracket, a coiled spring for moving said member forwardly when said head is free from a mating head, a yieldable device carried by said bracket, said member having a part adapted to contact With said device when said member is moved forward by said spring, said part being movable out of contact with said device when said member is moved rearwardly by contact with a mating head.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

JOSEPH ROBINSON, 

